Losses

Last night it rained hard, the rainy season I think has officially begun. Here they always refer to the rain as blessing, how often Americans look at it with negative connotations. And look at me...This rain brought with it two unwanted things: allergies for me and tons of moths that died within minutes of the rain stopping. Seriously, they all just started getting close to the ground and then shaking a bit and then dead, isn't creation amazing sometimes?! I seriously have 10 dead moths in my bathroom, ew!

Yesterday the Ugandan Cranes (soccer) lost to Zambia. It was a sad blow to the excited Crane fans who celebrated their 50 years of independence this week, hopeful that not only the soccer team but the nation would turn around. I couldn't quite figure out the loss myself. We were the only ones to have scored by the end of the game, but then suddenly they are taking penalty shots for a tie-breaker. No, I didn't miss anything in the action...I've been told that Zambia won a game between the two teams last month and so the penalty shots were the tie-breaker. The loss was a heartbreaker. I'm not a huge soccer fan, but watching the usual calm demeanor of Auntie Monica broken with jumps of joy and excitement at the score of a goal, I was sad for my friends.

With great sadness today I sat with the manager of Rafiki and our little boy Cocus and told him that his dad had died. I cried more than Cocus did. After I told him in English, very briefly, Auntie Esther explained it in Luganda, just to be sure nothing was lost in translation. His eyes got red, but he never shed a tear. We prayed for Cocus' courage and his heart and we prayed for his Dad. Cocus didn't want to look at us, but just wanted to leave, understandably. So I offered that he could go to his bed, color with me, or go outside and play. He decided to shade with me, so we colored cars, talked about our favorite colors and I reassured him that if he wanted to talk about it he could but if he didn't that was fine too. I pray that his heart recovers well and that his lack of tears just means he knows he still has lots of people that love him.

In other news about losses...the kids got their heads shaved yesterday. The boys and girls (less Carol) all have bald heads. I've pondered doing it myself, but I don't think I'd carry it as well as them!

On a much brighter note, Esther came to me yesterday morning and told me that she had a beautiful dream that we were all in heaven and we were all beautiful angels floating, flying and dancing around. How precious is that?